Lunar Robotics Tug Of War Update

"Another problem with the lunar robotics office is that the probe had been expanded beyond its original mission, said Keith Cowing, a former NASA employee who now runs the agency watchdog Web site NASAWatch.com. "Part of this issue has always been massive cost growth," Cowing said. "It's ballooned from a $300 million to $400 million program to double. It's something around $1 billion now." Cowing said a simple lunar lander, similar to the ones put on the moon during the Apollo missions "has grown from a simple design to a battleship. It has more requirements and mission responsibility than originally planned."

Editor's note: I was referring specifically to the Surveyor series of robotic landers which were used to do in situ analysis of the lunar surface in preparation for Apollo landings a few years later.

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\"Another problem with the lunar robotics office is that the probe had been expanded beyond its original mission, said Keith Cowing, a former NASA employee who now runs the agency watchdog Web site NASAWatch.com. \"Part of this issue has always been massive cost growth,\" Cowing said. \"It's ballooned from a \$300 million to \$400 million program to double. It's something around \$1 billion now.\" Cowing said a simple lunar lander, similar to the ones put on the moon during the Apollo missions \"has grown from a simple design to a battleship. It has more requirements and mission responsibility than originally planned.\"

Editor's note: I was referring specifically to the Surveyor series of robotic landers which were used to do in situ analysis of the lunar surface in preparation for Apollo landings a few years later.

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